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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. press — a publisher
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. rule — a law
  9. key — in music
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. press — newspapers
  12. key — for a lock
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. press — to push
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. rule — government
  18. hide — to keep secret

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com